A Biomedical Sciences Study Program will be instituted between Bishop State Community College and the University of South Alabama (USA). Bishop State is an historically black, 2 year college, and USA is a regional university; both are located in Mobile, AL. Within the University the Department of Biomedical Sciences offers a course of study designed to train students for careers in the biomedical sciences. The Biomedical Sciences Study Program (BSSP) will link a 3 year curriculum at Bishop State with junior and senior years at USA, leading to a B.S. degree in Biomedical Sciences. Ten Bishop State freshmen will be admitted into the program each year. During their first 3 years, BSSP students will take core science and humanities courses at Bishop State, and a seminar course at USA. BSSP students will be supported by faculty, peers, and a counselor. Each student's progress will be monitored throughout the academic year. During the summers, both BSSP students and Bishop State faculty will participate in biomedical research projects at USA in labs in the Biomedical Sciences department and in the College of Medicine. Upon successfully completing the core curriculum at Bishop State, BSSP students will transfer to USA as juniors. They will then complete the Biomedical Sciences curriculum, graduating after their second year at USA. The implementation of the BSSP is expected to be expeditious because of existing cooperation between Bishop State and USA, and because almost all elements of the program are in place. No new courses will need to be created, and many of the support services are currently being carried out by the faculty. Arrangements for working in research labs are part of the existing curriculum. The BSSP is expected to open a new educational pathway for minority students to pursue careers in biomedical sciences research. It is a natural partnership between Bishop State and USA which should be viable and beneficial to students, and should produce minority biomedical research scientists.